Features News - Page 20

Talking Point: Using Glitches - Cheating or Clever Gaming?

Using Glitches - Cheating or Clever Gaming?

Everyone stay calm

This week game cheats have been in the news. We learnt about the origins of the Konami Code and, controversially, that Nintendo has no plans to fix Mario Kart 7’s Maka Waku glitch. All this talk of codes, shortcuts and glitches got us thinking about the morality of these gaming quirks: when is it acceptable to take advantage of...

Feature: Nintendo in 2011 - Part Two

Nintendo in 2011 - Part Two

Disaster and redemption

Following on from Nintendo in 2011 — Part One, it's time to look at the latter half of the year. The gaming world quickly moves on, as the 3DS enjoys positive sales and the Wii U hype begins to build. It’s easy to forget that the tail-end of 2011 was particularly dramatic and eventful for Nintendo, leaving us with plenty...

Round Table: Looking Ahead to Nintendo in 2012

Looking Ahead to Nintendo in 2012

Should be a good 'un

It's a new year, with a recovering 3DS and a fresh home console on the way from Nintendo: these are certainly interesting times. We decided to have a chat about the prospects for Nintendo in 2012, including our thoughts on the company's prospects, as well as our hopes, dreams and fears. Joining features editor Thomas Whitehead...

Feature: The Biggest 3DS Games of 2012

The Biggest 3DS Games of 2012

What's in store for the year ahead?

2011 is gone. After announcing our Game of the Year 2011 awards we're ready to move on and sink our teeth into all that awaits in 2012. There are of course dozens more games on the way to 3DS in the coming year, but we've picked ten of the most exciting due to crest the 3D horizon before 2013 rolls around. If...

Feature: Nintendo in 2011 - Part One

Nintendo in 2011 - Part One

An important year begins

It’s now 2012, which promises to be an eventful year for Nintendo. We’ll be giving our thoughts soon on what to expect in the coming year, but it's now time to look back at a dramatic 2011. There were plenty of major headlines and game releases, and we’ll pinpoint some of the key moments that defined the year. We'll...

Game of the Year: Nintendo Life Reader Awards 2011

Nintendo Life Reader Awards 2011

The votes are in!

Last week we opened up the Nintendo Life Game of the Year 2011 Readers' Vote, giving you the opportunity to commemorate the very best titles of the past 12 months. We received over 6,000 votes over the course of a week, and after stringent verification we've tallied them all up to reveal the games you voted as the best of 2011...

Feature: Staff Memories of Nintendo at Christmas

Staff Memories of Nintendo at Christmas

Merry Christmas, one and all

Christmas has arrived, the festive period of giving and generosity, and also a time when loved ones shower each other with thoughtful gifts. For many gamers it's a holiday full of nostalgia and memories of shiny new consoles, games and fun with the family. We couldn't let this holiday pass without sharing some of our...

News: Merry Christmas from Nintendo Life!

Merry Christmas from Nintendo Life!

'tis the season!

It's Christmas — a season of goodwill and peace to all men. A time when we take some well-deserved time off to catch up with family and friends, stuff our faces with food and do a huge amount of gaming. To celebrate this awesome time of year we have a special treat. Nintendo gamers know the legendary Nintendo 64 kid, but while...

Feature: Bizarre Emails Sent to Nintendo Life - Volume 4

Bizarre Emails Sent to Nintendo Life - Volume 4

Merry Christmas, everyone

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and in the spirit of gift-giving we've got a sackful of incredible, baffling and downright idiotic emails, all sent to Nintendo Life (or our sister sites) throughout the past few months. If you've missed a previous instalment in the series, consider them stocking fillers before the...

Game of the Year: You Decide!

You Decide!

Have your say

We've had a phenomenal year for gaming, with new outings for Mario, Kirby, Link, Sonic and many, many more. As we reach the end of 2011 it's only right to celebrate the best games of the year. We won't hoard all the voting excitement for ourselves, though — we want you, the lovely Nintendo Life readers, to speak up on what you most...

Talking Point: Why Is It So Hard to Make a Good Christmas Game?

Why Is It So Hard to Make a Good Christmas Game?

Coal in the stocking

Merry Christmas, everyone! It's that magical time of year again, a time for all of us to indulge in Christmas movies, Christmas music, Christmas TV specials and Christmas video games! Alright, we admit... not so much the last one. But that poses an interesting question: why not? Christmas-themed video games have been around for...

Talking Point: Nintendo's Year of Giving

Nintendo's Year of Giving

Making Santa look bad

As we approach the Holiday season, it seems appropriate to reflect on the act of giving. Although it’s nice to say that the real pleasure is in giving gifts, 3DS owners can be honest and say that receiving them is also rather enjoyable. Nintendo have provided a lot of free content since the handheld’s launch, in a variety...

Feature: Further Adventures in Scanlines: The SLG SCART

Further Adventures in Scanlines: The SLG SCART

Reading between the lines

Not so long ago we reported on an awesome piece of tech which imbued your HD TV with the power to display authentic retro-style scanlines. The SLG3000 has since gone on to become a highly sought-after piece of kit in vintage gaming circles, so much so that Arcade Forge - the company behind the unit - have come up with a more streamlined version, dubbed the SLG SCART..

Feature: Celebrating 10 Years of Animal Crossing

Celebrating 10 Years of Animal Crossing

Population: glowing

Here's a fun game next time you're at a boring social occasion: try explaining the point of Animal Crossing to an elderly family member. Nintendo's genre-defying life series first appeared in Japan in April 2001 as Dobutsu no Mori ("Animal Forest") on Nintendo 64, but it was the enhanced Animal Forest+ for GameCube —...

Talking Point: The Evolution of the 3DS

The Evolution of the 3DS

Learning to walk

On 7th December the latest firmware update arrived on the 3DS, adding new features, functionality and playable content to the handheld. In fact, the system now has a more rounded feel to its functionality, with the current fully updated console boasting significant additions to its original capabilities. We've already put together...

Talking Point: The Overcrowded Holiday Release Schedule

The Overcrowded Holiday Release Schedule

Time for a congestion charge?

There’s a popular analogy that likens the act of waiting for buses to other everyday occurrences in life: around this time every year we’re all inevitably subjected to the same situation as we were last year, and the year before that, and so on. Picture the scene: you’ve endured summer months of crippling boredom, either prodding half-heartedly at the games you..

Guide: Nintendo 3DS System Update

Nintendo 3DS System Update

All the information you need

So you've got the 3DS system update and want to know exactly what's new? We've got you covered. Here you'll find a regularly updated account of how to get the most from your system's new features. If you have any questions, use the Contact form and we'll do our best to address them. Page 1: 3D Video RecordingPage 2:

Feature: Memorable Zelda Moments

Memorable Zelda Moments

The wonderful world of Hyrule, and beyond

The Legend of Zelda is one of the best loved Nintendo franchises, over 25 years old and still finding new ways to thrill gamers. The significant number of Zelda releases means it boasts an incredible history and reputation, with each new entry’s adventure contributing its part to the lore of the series. The recent launch of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward..

Feature: Nintendo Holiday Gift Guide

Nintendo Holiday Gift Guide

Have a Mario holiday

The festive season is almost upon us, which means that it’s time to lighten our wallets and top up the gift stockings. For those who fancy some Nintendo gaming in the coming holiday, we thought we’d pass on some hints and tips on the games and consoles to buy. We’ll cover some of the console bundles available, as well as...

Feature: Keeping Mario at the Top

Keeping Mario at the Top

A never-ending icon

Mario is the face of Nintendo, a fact that is clear to most. As a character, however, he lacks any depth or back-story. Although some titles, such as the Mario & Luigi RPG titles on the Game Boy Advance and DS, apply a simple and humorous story to Mario and his world, he is often simply rescuing a Princess from a giant turtle creature. In fact, games writer James Leach said..

Feature: The Most Bizarre Nintendo Life Search Results

The Most Bizarre Nintendo Life Search Results

You won't believe your eyes

We get around 300,000 referrals from search engines every month, but while you won't be surprised by the most popular searches — turns out around 50,000 people find it hard to remember the address nintendolife.com — some of the bottom-ranked searches will certainly raise your eyebrows. Here — in the spirit of our...

Feature: The Revolution of the Wii

The Revolution of the Wii

Five years on

We’ve just passed the fifth anniversary of the Wii, Nintendo’s current generation console. With the Wii U likely to arrive in late 2012 these are the final months for the Wii at the forefront of Nintendo gaming in the home, with the recent release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword providing a much needed boost to the ageing machine. To talk about the Wii as an ageing console..

Round Table: Let's Talk About the GameCube and Wii

Let's Talk About the GameCube and Wii

From a cube to the revolution

With the GameCube recently reaching its tenth anniversary and the Wii five years old, we decided to get together to discuss both consoles, assessing their impact and legacy. These two consoles are in an interesting position of being relatively close in terms of graphical technology, yet wildly different in gaming...

Feature: Remembering the GameCube

Remembering the GameCube

A decade of cubed gaming

Every company in every industry will have a few years in its history that don't quite stack up to the rest. With the mammoth success it had enjoyed with the SNES, Nintendo must have had quite the shock when Sony's PlayStation proved to be a huge overnight success in the mid-Nineties and poached many publishers, developers...

Feature: The Best Games on GameCube and Wii

The Best Games on GameCube and Wii

Celebrating the cube and the waggle

This week presents a rather unique opportunity, as we’ll be celebrating major anniversaries for two consoles. The GameCube celebrates the tenth anniversary of its North American release on November 18th, while November 19th is the fifth anniversary for the Wii in the same territory. Not only does this dual...